Playa Del Carmen - March

[Iain-le-roi]

Hi

I will be in PDC March the 8th-15th and its my first time so looking for advice on sites to dive and a dive operator to choose? I really like diving with big Animals rather than macro so advice on best spots to dive to see sharks, eagle rays, mantas or turtles or anything along those lines would be most welcome. I have done about 80 dives and I am certified advanced. Not sure whether Id be best to stay in PDC or go to Coz or both?

Thanks

Iain

 

[ednedfred]

Playa and Cozumel are two totally different sites. I love both and routinely dive both on my trips to Mexico annually. You can catch the ferry from PDC to Coz daily and it is a quick 45 minute ride over. I catch the 6 a.m. over to Coz, have breakfast and catch the 2 p.m. back. Cozumel has world class coral formations and not as many "critters" as Playa. The current in Coz is 2 - 3 knots and if you see something it will be gone shortly. Wonderful visability and a some of the best diving that I ever do. I use Blue Angel in Coz and have had great service with them since I originally used them in 2002.

Playa is also drift diving but the current is a much slower pace. Reefs are healthy but not anywhere close to Cozumel. Fortunately, you will see many fish and turtles on/around the reef system. Playa is also famous for the cenotes around the area. You will need to at least dive once cenote on your trip. I use Jason at Fantasea Dive in Playa. He gives great personal service and you can find him on this site as Playa Country Boy.

Have fun.

 

[Ed Hatfield]

Playa del Carmen - Last year at this time I saw a sailfish, 4 marlin and several tarpon at Sabalos. The week before the DM saw a hammerhead on the same reef. Cozumel has the better reefs for coral with fantastic walls and swim throughs. The only Playa reef that is similar is Los Arcos but the top of the reef is 80 to 90 feet which makes for a short dive. I prefer Coz for the reef diving but I like the flexibility of staying in Playa because if the weather turns bad I can quickly rebook to dive the cenotes. There is nothing worse than having a week of diving 'blown out' and before you know it the plane is leaving. Both Playa and Coz are good dive destinations. I think Playa has more to offer non-divers if you are travelling with friends or family. Xcaret, Xel Ha, Chichen Itza, Coba, ect..... Enjoy your vacation.

 

[Iain-le-roi]

Thanks guys.. both sound great. Any must dive sites in PDC?

Cheers

Iain

 

[EcodivingTours]

HI Iain,
I would like to recommend ourselves Ecodiving Tours based in PDC. We are experienced operators in both ocean (Cozumel, Puerto Morelos) and cenotes and likewise safety and customer service are our key values. We Run a Shipwreck dive where you can usualy meet school of eagle ray , porcupine fish big as my arm and lots of other big fishes and schools ... this is one my favorite dive experience ... We also provide a tour to Snorkel with the famous Sailfish.
Also we can offer full transport and guide services to and from your hotel in order for diving or visiting other place around PDC.
Please check out our website for rates and further information.
Home-Ecodivingtours

Have a great time in PDC - hope to see you

Dive with passion - Ecodiving Tours

 

[markmantei]

Haven't done coz yet, harbor was closed due to weather on my last trip the day I intended to go over. In PDC I've used Abyss Dive Center (Playa del Carmen Diving with The Abyss Dive Center) the last couple of times I've gone. They have given me excellent service. Great people, and safety and eco conscious. Running smaller groups, they guide can take the time to point out more micro life that would be missed with some of the other ops. For dive sites, my favorites are tortuga, which can be done shallow or deep, and barracuda and sabalos, which are a nice pair of dives as well, although the coolest thing i've seen was a dolphin which swam up just at the end of a dive on moc che shallow. The one thing I would recommend is to do a little research on the diveop you use. A couple of the ops do feeding/chummed shark dives, which I think is irresponsible.

I absolutely love the diving around PDC and will be going back. Hope you have fun and enjoy as well.